Balbirnie Bistro in Fife

Great place to dine, but additional parking charges and hideous parking signs everywhere have soured this once beautiful country house hotel.

Food is indescribable! Never disappointed here, the menu is amazing and the food tastes so good! Something for everyone and the bistro is so rustic it’s great!

Did a last minute booking for lunch on Valentines Day. Was not expecting hearts and flowers but there was nothing to mark the occasion, a flower on the table, something appropriate on the specials board or even a cocktail. I had the breaded Camembert. The cheese was fine but dry and not running, the house pickles were small silverskin onions and some cornichons, both soft and totally lacking in flavour. Was expecting them to be crisp and sharp with vinegar to cut through the rich cheese. The spiced tomato chutney was also bland and uninspiring. Husbands caramelised onion tart was soggy and hidden under a pile of rocket. Feta a few crumbs. Both followed with the beef bourguignon which was served with mustard greens and champ potatoes. This was also disappointing and not very hot. No rich wine and robust flavours. Didn’t seem to have any mushrooms or bacon but there were onions, seemed to be the same bland, small silverskin onions I had with my starter. Veg was fine. A good bowl of stew and potatoes but not the rick hearty dish we were expecting. The staff were good and the atmosphere relaxed. Reasonable value but not the quality we are used to when dining at Balbirnie.

Fabulous meal's, top standard in the casual relaxed atmosphere of The Bistro. Well worth a visit. The crab linguine with a seafood bisque was delicious, along with the lamb, chicken and classic bourguignon our friend raved about the standard and flavours of a well crafted new menu.

Nice spot for lunch. Food was good and staff were really kind and accommodating. Thank you!

Amazing place and incredible food! 😁 might come back sometime

Food is excellent and well priced for the quality you receive. The surroundings are very comfortable and well decorated. Staff are all very friendly and welcoming. Would highly recommend

Great dining experience. Great selection of food including vegetarian dishes. Staff attentive. Beautiful decor.

Have to say great staff, couldn't do enough for us, even gave us a loverly card to celebrate our evenings, but found the venue a little claustrophobic to be honest, meal was not as hoped, I chose ceaser salad which tasted fishy to be honest, and did not enjoy it, wife chose the beef which was very lovely, but too rich as it turned out later, deserts were poor, especially for the price, glass off fizzy £8,? Defo a night to remember but won't be repeated unfortunately, ,£70.00 bill for main corse and desert and one drink each, not a great deal, but not enjoyed, been there, done it, won't be got again, now understand why almost empty on Saturday night at 7pm .

Disappointing service and food. Terrine served with no toast or crackers. Tomato and cheese tart an expensive crusty morsel. Had to ask for table water. Drinks not delivered when asked. Had to ask again. Altogether a disappointing experience. Overrated and overpriced.

Had lunch with 2 friends . We settled for early special . I had chicken wings with slightly spicy sauce followed by beef stew (bourguignon to posh folks ) . Compliments to chef it was truly delish . Sadly no room for sweets . Emma our server was spot on . In summary a delightful late lunch

No staff, one girl to welcome guests, take orders, serve food. food was great. slow service we did not stay for sweets

Have never eaten at Balbirnie but I kept on receiving their early bird ads. Went along today and was really impressed. We had ceasar salad, beef bourguignon and sea bass. All excellent and good portions. Our server was Melissa who was professional, friendly and helpful. Such a good experience, we will be returning soon. Only tiny comment is that a wider choice of alcohol free beers would be good but it is a minor comment. Well done Balbirnie House.

It is a shame this place has gone down hill. My husband had fish and chips and my son had chicken nuggets. I had onion rings. I wish I had read the other reviews as the batter is terrible!!! It is white, soggy and cold. Surely it is not that difficult to put something in a deep fryer?? They must have changed chef. The creme brulee is liquid. I have been here a few times and love the building but you can get better elsewhere. We were never asked if we enjoyed the meal. I actually complained to the waitress about the onion rings as I could not eat them they were that raw. They should have taken it off our bill. To top it all the receptionist said I suppose I can take cash this time. Yeah either that or we won't pay for it!!! Don't know if we will go back again.

Ordered takeout from the Balbirnie Courtyard and was very disappointed. Which is a shame as I have enjoyed a takeout from their feast in the forest last year on two separate occasions and enjoyed each time and had high hopes for their new Courtyard takeout. Ordered the fish and chips and the chips were soggy, while their fish batter was as bad. I understand it is takeout food and don't expect 5 star service, but coming from Balbirnie house you would expect better. Sadly, I doubt I will order from the Courtyard again.

We decided to treat ourselves to a meal for our wedding anniversary's and wish we hadn’t. When we arrived we were told all orders had to be made through the app, so I downloaded the app. I ordered 3 drinks and shortly after a waiter arrived with 2 drinks. I checked the confirmation email and checked that I had ordered another drink and, after asking for it, it eventually arrived. We had booked the Bistro Al Fresco which looks lovely in the little private gazebos. Again, everything had to be ordered on the app. Two of the other diners also downloaded the app and we passed the phones around the five of us to choose from the menu. A bit impersonal and obviously we couldn’t order drinks while making our choices. We ordered one soup and had 3 tiny bowls delivered, we had to ask for glasses for the water, the music system kept turning off and on and changing volume and song, the ‘bread basket for 2’ was 4 slices of plain white bread with some oil and vinegar, the ‘nuts and olives’ were a tiny bowl of olives and a bowl of salted peanuts, hardly award-winning fodder. When I politely asked the waitress what was happening with the music she returned with a ‘manager’ who was condescending, confrontational, patronising and frankly downright rude. She said that the music system was new and that, no sorry it can’t be turned off’ and that the poor bread selection was ‘reflected in the price’... £5 for four small slices of white bread!? When I pay £100 for two starters and five main courses I expect better. Fortunately the main courses were okay, not great but okay. We certainly won’t be recommending it to friends or family, or returning when we can get nicer food and far better service elsewhere.

This was my first visit here for food very disappointing had fish and chips...the fish was bland plus the batter soft also chips were cold

I’ve eaten at Balbirnie several times now. The service is always good and the food is delicious. They also have good cleaning safety measures in place for covid. Afternoon tea is a particular highlight and each time I’ve either checked or been tempted to check if it really is gluten-free! The scones are amazing and I didn’t feel like my version was any less (it may have even been better!). I’ve had dinner here as well and always a good range of options.

Lovely lunch. Felt very safe in our own tent. Staff were attentive Nice to get out to eat again

Ordered takeaway hot dogs to eat in the grounds. Great value. Fantastic fries.

Despite a very disappointing sgtay in the hotel, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal in tyhe Bisgtrol on Monday night. Lovely choice and delicous food. We had ordered sparkling water along with our drinks which never arrived but a lovely meal nonetheless.

I just love Balbirnies Bistro Al Fresco. I feel like when I am there that I’m on abroad on holiday somewhere. I like the set up, with your own private gazebos, the lights, the music, the fire pit’s all adds to a lovely vibe. The staff are friendly and attentive and I also got a wee treat from them when I was their for my 40th birthday which was lovely of them. The food is also very good, everything I have tried and everyone who I have dined with have only had good words to say about the food. Well done Balbirnie, you’ve totally smashed it.

Brilliant meal at Balbirnie. We had the al fresco bistro menu, and the food was amazing. Great Covid processes and safety, which were easy to follow. But all of that shouldn’t distract from the fact that the food was awesome. If you are in the area it’s a must.

Went with my sister for afternoon tea. We both loved it! Really good food. I'd suggest maybe offering guests a choice of tea in future and perhaps some peaceful music in the back grownd would of be nice.But overall really enjoyed it and loved the complimentary sorbet. I'd recommend.

Left a full review on my hotel stay. In summary took twenty mins to order through the app on an empty table with no ability to order a drink while looking at menu through the app. Plus did not work on phone so had to go to room to get iPad, then needed to pay for food and drink before you got a drink so another trip to room for card as you could not charge to room. The help to eat out discount needed a code on the app which we were not told so two trips to reception to get sorted out. Let tip as not staffs fault. But a birthday meal that starts with twenty five mins to order food while not even allowed to verbally order a drink in this time. Sorry had better dinning experience in Macdonalds. You can pick up I am annoyed but basically ignored for twenty five mins and left to use an app. To top it all the laminated instructions on the table said customers found the app very useful - sorry So patronising.

Disappointed on our recent visit. Booked for lunch at 1200hrs, queued for 15min before being seated. Lunch was nice, ordering via app was fine. We were only half way through our main when we were advised we only had 10 min to finish our food/drinks. We were hurried to finish our main, no time for dessert. We then moved to another table to finish our drinks. This really spoiled our family lunch. Was definately not a relaxing enjoyable experience. Expected better from balbirnie as it was not a cheap lunch.

We visited the Balbirnie Hotel for a special birthday with friends on a Wednesday evening in February.The decor of the public rooms is high quality and very attractive, which we enjoyed before and after our meal.The selection and quality of the food was excellent, with attentive and friendly staff. Staff allowed us time for enjoyment of both food and conversation, being both relaxed and efficient.We enjoyed a further hour after the meal, in the lounge with our coffee.A thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Only one waitress, who was efficient,but overworked at times.Wife's burger was excellent as were my mussels, but I was disappointed with my haddock, which was not up to expected standard, although they may have been from the lunchtime menu,as I saw other fish being served which looked first class. Friends were very happy with their meals.

had pasta with roasted veg and goats cheese - the cheese had a hard thick rind on it which was not very appealing - average food

Great service and amazing food, friends and myself visiting enjoyed very much. Have been multiple times over the years and have not had a bad experience yet.

Excellent meal and excellent staff. They were attentive, professional and friendly. Food was excellent, great taste and good portion size. Lovely setting. Will definitely return

Food great will certainly be back

Balbirnie comes with a high quality reputation and unfortunately did not meet our expectations. The afternoon tea was unexciting and plain and we left hungry which is unusual for an afternoon tea. The staff were scruffy and not overly helpful and in addition, hard to get a hold of. I would not recommend afternoon tea at Balbirnie and doubt I will be back. Spend the extra 30 minutes heading to Edinburgh instead, it will be worth your while! Balbirnie - think outside the box a little and make your afternoon tea selections more exciting!

first night very good, however staff a little inexperienced on the second night, but food very good hot and tasty

Visited with an itison voucher along with the majority of people dining here. 3 courses for 2 for £35. Seated promptly and drink and food order taken. Starters arrived which were lovely. Main courses were also served promptly and hot. Fantastic selection of desserts to choose from. My final drink took quite a while to arrive when ordered with dessert resulting in me having to drink up quickly for leaving.When leaving was given the bill and they had failed to deduct the voucher. When I said to the waiter I think he just deducted the £35 rather than the cost of the 3 courses. On the plus this worked in our favour as think they forgot to add on one or two of the drinks.This is quite a small venue only having 13 tables and had 3 waiting staff who were all polite although 2 tended to be working and the third spending a lot of time talking to customers.Would visit again when on offer.

Heading south from the Tay Bridge, we sought a stop for a bar lunch around Glenrothes/Markinch and happened on Balbirnie Hotel. There was ample parking, we were warmly welcomed and directed from hotel reception to the bistro downstairs. Service there was swift, attentive and friendly, and the setting spacious and peaceful. The menu offered a great range of options. We enjoyed our meal and particularly welcomed the attention given to two octogenarians who were glad to be shown how to avoid the stairs.

This is a great wee restaurant with good menus a good ambiance and in a really nice location Reasonably priced

My partner and I visited the Bistro for lunch today. Balbernie House Hotel is a magnificent Georgian House set in beautiful surroundings with ample parking. We were kindly greeted and shown to the downstairs Bistro. We ordered 2 large glasses of white wine, which arrived quickly. The room was half filled, and the atmosphere was pleasant.The menu was extensive and we found it difficult to choose. My starter of confit chicken and pistachio with a raspberry vinaigrette was a huge disappointment. Pieces of chicken loosely squashed together with about three pistachios, I would be ashamed to serve this at home.My partner chose Bang Bang Chicken, which he rated as fair. My second course was the Butternut Squash Ravioli, Mama Mia!, the pasta was thick and dry, and I couldn’t find any crispy sage leaves as described. I asked for some olive oil, and that helped make the dish palatable. My partner fared better with the Lamb Barnsley Chop, he gobbled it up, and there was nothing left on his plate but the bone! Third course was better for me, the pannacotta was yummy and just the dessert to finish a meal. My partner declared his sticky date, toffee and walnut pudding as dry and nothing special. We had to ask for water for the table, and the service lacked warmth and sincerity. We probably won’t go back anytime soon, as food average and overpriced for the quality and dining experience.

Food great fish was delicious. Bill when we received was wrong.

A nice selection of great quality food early bird menu, was wonderful, staff very nice, also we was able to take our dogs with us, no rushing, lovely atmosphere to,

Booked Saturday evening, busy but not full, was presented with a table at entrance and would have been sitting side by side instead of opposite. Asked if we could have another table, but answered fully booked, although there were 3 empty tables 2 of which remained empty for the whole evening. Decided to leave, whilst explaining to Hotel reception a table suddenly became available due to a cancellation. Food was a mixture of very good and so so. Starter Thai style vegetable cakes were not hot and the plate was cold. Cullen skink was very good. Mains slow braised beef shin and peri peri chicken breast were both excellent. 2 pot pudding was a tasty dish of creme brûlée and rhubarb, whilst the warm chocolate brownie was served on a cold plate which detracted from the quality of the food. Waiting staff were very attentive.

Lacking in atmosphere the food was nice enough not outstanding. Don’t like paper napkins and no table covers just a personal thing but not for me. We wish we had booked the other restaurant, but it didn’t seem clear online where to get bar snacks drinks etc, one member of staff sent us down to the bistro for an afternoon snack as we couldn’t check in until 2 only to be told we had to go to the ‘lounge area’ we only wanted something light as we had dinner at 7 so back upstairs it was. All a bit confusing Staff were lovely though

Having received a gift voucher for a meal, booked lunch at the Bistro, where my husband and I have been many times before and enjoyed it.

Pleasantly surprised with our meal. Last time service was slow and desert was about 45 minutes late. This time service was very good and the food was enjoyable.

Grabbing some time with another self employed friend is a rare event so I decided to book the Bistro for lunch for two.

Ok but not as amazing as you are led to believe by the hype.

I've been here a few times over the years for Weddings, Party nights, and visits to the bistro for various birthdays etc. Its always been quite good but not amazing. Its a shame as it could be.

Got given our lunch voucher for our Ruby Wedding.

Had lunch here one Saturday to celebrate a birthday.

Lovely food and very good service. The bistro was a bit noisy due to a large party in attendance but they asked if we wanted to move to the drawing room for drinks. Sumptuous room.

Considering there are not many nice restaurants in the area, this makes a nice special occasion eatery. The food is well prepared and the menu has a great choice. There is always something for everyone, the ambiance is pleasing and the staff are always professional. It's a mid range priced restaurant but well worth it.

Excellent set lunch. Great value and really tasty. The terrace is ideal on a hot day like today.

Four of us went for dinner on Saturday 26 May and were very disappointed. We have previously enjoyed dinner here and were expecting the four course tabledhote menu with canopies with pre dinner drinks. However no canopies and we were presented with a pub style menu. Hardly what one would expect from a lovely country Hotel.

Was staying at Balbirnie for a business trip, so decided to just have a casual supper in the Bistro. The waitresses were both super friendly and prompt to serve me. I chose the mussels as a main, and they were absolutely superb. Cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious. I thought ordering a kilo was ambitious, but they were great value for money and I managed them all! Definitely recommend if you're visiting and wanting to try something sourced locally!

We were celebrating a birthday and we're welcomed with a card and glitter to start it off well. We had a delightful meal, then dessert was aptly decorated for the birthday boy. All 3 courses were cooked to perfection, the asparagus was particularly delightful.

My husband and I have dined at Balbirnie on many occasions both in the Orangery and the Bistro and our recent few visits to the Bistro have been exceptional. The menu is varied and the food is great. We chose steaks on our last two visits and they were cooked to perfection. The staff are very friendly and helpful, in particular Hayley who is the Bistro manager. She is always so welcoming. This is our favourite local place to eat. Well worth a visit if you haven’t already done so. You won’t be disappointed.

Hi I use this restaurant a lot both personally & for business. The venue is classy and the actual bistro is relaxed and chilled atmosphere. Perfect for business and cosy for family meals. Food quality is spot on.

Had a meal with friends who recomended this hotel, ate in the Bistro and the food was very good and reasanably priced, lovely setting amazing interior with loads of character and history

Very good food from a wide range of menu options. Old country house. Ideal for a casual lunch. Customers will need to be able to access stairs down. I’m unsure if there is a lift.

Been here many times and was not disappointed in latest visits. Went with friend for lunch. Great interior. Good staff, service. Nice menu. Presentation good. Food great. Good value. Nice atmosphere. Not rushed. All very pleasant.

We booked for lunch in the bistro today but when we arrived the waitress told us that the bistro kitchens were closed and they had a different menu. We had specifically booked for the bistro as two of my companions are elderly and have small appetites. In addition the last time we had a restaurant lunch there, we vowed never to go back but the bistro menu was definitely much more appealing. To be honest the menu we were offered was totally unsuitable and without question we should have been contacted to tell us of the situation. We could not fault the two waitresses, however, who did their best in difficult circumstances. We were certainly not the only people who complained. As I said in my last review, weddings are their main business and maybe now the time has come to make it their only business.

We both had a good lunch yesterday. Bistro was quiet and we were served promptly. We took the set lunch menu 3 courses circa £13. In my opinion the same old problem eating here was the fairly restrictive menu which tends to send you towards the Haddock and chips which was excellent by the way.

Nice selection of dishes on the menu, well cooked and with decent service. Reasonably good value for money. The ambience is great if you are after a cosy evening or winter setting. Not so great on a sunny day as it's fairly subterranean so you can't really enjoy the fabulous setting while dining. Doesn't really detract though, as you can walk off any excesses at the dining table with a walk in the excellent grounds.

Great little Bistro set within balbirnie house. Excellent service, good selection of wine and amazing food.

We had a 2 course lunch in the Bistro, only because were not able for a third course, as they were good size portions. There was a good selection on the menu, and the standard of food was excellent, obviously a very highly qualified chef. We then proceeded to the lounge, for a coffee and a drink. Very comfortable sitting area with the coal fire burning, as it was cold outside.

We had travelled home by train from Paris all the way to Markinch but final train was delayed so our taxi had to drop us off at Balbirnie rather than take us home as the Bistro closed at 9 pm and it was already 5 to 9.

We visit this Bistro quite often as it is the best food around service excellent all food is cooked to order the staff are extremely efficient and friendly. It is very reasonable price for a four star hotel. The food is delicious and always hot.

Yet another fantastic lunch in Balbirnie Bistro. What's not to love - beautiful, historic setting; delicious, plentiful food and very reasonably priced. Can't rate this place highly enough. I should be on commission!

We regularly dine at Balbirnie Bistro for Sunday lunch. The food is always of high quality. The set menu is excellent value. The staff are very attentative. This is a great place to catch up with friends for a leisurely quality lunch. Would highly recommend this. We have never been dissappointed with the staff, service, atmosphere or food.

Food was delicious, service was great. Good price for set lunch menu with also the choice of ordering from the main menu. Very enjoyable.

A very special & memorable event for a 90th Birthday was created thanks to all the staff as the service, food & venue were all amazing!

I have been several times with family and friends as a couple and in small groups. The choice of menu is perfect, the service is friendly and professional. I love the setting of the old kitchen and this adds to the atmosphere. Never been disappointed in choice of food or wine. Hope to be back soon.

Having dined in the Bistro several times it was an obvious choice for my retrial dinner. As ever we had an excellent meal, the food was very good and service first class. We will be back soon, and thoroughly recommend the Bistro.

My fiancée and I have dined at the Balbirnie Bistro several times,mainly after a wedding meeting and always at short notice.We have always found the staff very helpful and attentive ensuring they could always squeeze us in.The bistro is in the depths of the mansion house and is both cozy and relaxing.The food and drinks that are offered are always a high standard. We have had both the house burger, chicken and waffles, steak frites, goats cheese parcels and always their home made ice cream - to name a few. The food is homely and warm, with lighter options during the summer months.The only criticism I would have is that it can get a bit warm down in the basement, and some of the wooden chairs can be a little uncomfortable.We do however love Balbirnie, especially what they offer both diners and overnight guests.We have also dined in their Orangery, which at the time served more fine dining, than the more relaxed Bistro - this has been changed however, so both the Orangery and Bistro serve the same sort of food.The Balbirnie Bistro is not crazy expensive and you always get a good meal-and always look up to admire the old meat hooks in the ceiling!

Regrettably we did not stay at the hotel but we made a small detour en route to St Andrews from Edinburgh to dine in their bistro/ restaurant. I am so glad that we did - it is a truly stunning setting (a grand old mansion, immaculately maintained and set in beautiful woodland), service was excellent and the food well presented and delicious. it turned out to be one of the highlights of our visit to Scotland - definitely not to be missed! we will definitely be back - the next time to stay at the hotel!

Yesterday we had a really lovely lunch at Balbirnie's Pop Up Bistro to celebrate my Dad's 80th Birthday. We were a fairly large party of 25 adults and 4 kids and were given a beautiful room with white linen tablecloths, napkins and tealights. The food was excellent, as always and having ore-ordered our meals, each course was delivered to all the guests at the same time. The service provided by Hayley and her team was exceptional and having been at many meals and weddings at Balbirnie I can honestly say that the service given was of no less quality in the Pop Up Bistro than at a wedding function. The service was flawless and Hayley had the most lovely, calm, gentle manner and was very efficient throughout. The team who backed her were also excellent. The kids were provided with crayons and colouring sheets. Would highly recommend Balbirnie for any meal or occasion as it never fails to please. It is such a beautiful hotel with lovely gardens and every room we have been in is beautifully decorated with lovely furnishings. The team seem to work tirelessly to make every visit special. My Dad was given a birthday card which was a nice touch and Hayley offered to take a family photo and even moved furniture to fit us all in. Cannot recommend highly enough.

I have had dinner twice in the Bistro, both times with groups of friends. The service is quick, the Bistro has a lovely cosy feel and the food was yummy. Good selection for vegetarian also. Perfect for a group night out. Will definitely be back!

Lovely Sunday lunch in the Bistro...great food, lovely atmosphere and surroundings, friendly staff and first class service. Thouroughly recommend it, we'll most definitely be back.

Been here now three times and not had a bad meal yet. The menu is good and should cater for most people. Price wise, not too bad for the quality of the food served. Service has always been good and the staff are in general friendly and attentive.Would recommend for a relaxing meal / social catch up with friends.

Fabulous lunch on Tuesday the 19th , hadn't booked just dropped in . Staff so friendly & welcoming who phoned down to Bistro to check for availability! Equally well trained staff in Bistro & service second to none !!! As for the food delicious!!!!!' Certainly would recommend & be visiting again soon . Thank you !!!

Enjoyed a lovely lunch here in a pleasant setting. Reasonably priced set menu with a good choice for 2 or 3 courses. Staff pleasant without being intrusive, food enjoyable.

Booked here with my wife and daughter to celebrate a low key birthday celebration for my gran. The location is stunning and balbirnie house is full of class and elegance. The bistro is easily found due to the location signs throughout the building. Service was incredible. Made to feel welcome and very at home. Had soup of the day which was lentil and ham. Main was haddock and chips. This was a lunchtime meal deal which cost around £9.95 or there about. Great taste, Great value and will definitely be recommending your bistro!Top Tip.. go during the lunchtime menu and get 2 courses for under a tenner!

Visited Balbirnie House with my daughter for a wedding fayre. We hadn't booked in advance and the bistro was very busy but the staff fitted us in and couldn't have been more helpful. Both my daughter & I had the seafood chowder which was absolutely delicious and very satisfying. The staff were all very helpful. Will definitely be back.?

Having ate in the bistro many times over the years it never fails to disappoint. Lovely atmosphere, friendly staff and delicious food. My only suggestion would be to have some lighter options for lunch time, or more salad options.

This was a return visit for us and just as enjoyable as before staff were very helpful, good choice on the menu. It was very quiet when we arrived as it was quite early but soon filled up. The bistro is in the old house kitchen and plenty of memorabilia all round making ideal talking points. Our meals were served in a decent time and very well presented enough to enjoy without overdoing it. We were not rushed out giving us time to finish drinks and coffee. Will be returning.

Attended a wedding at Balbirnie House and ate here on a Tuesday night, Menu not very inspiring, went for the Smokey Joe burger which was well cooked and tasty, Fries were disappointing and a small portion. Staff were fine. Needs something to sex it up,

We visited the Bistro twice this week as a family for evening meals. The staff and service were excellent on both nights.The food was delicious, but on both occasions we found the portion sizes were small and overpriced. Our kids had the pasta and were hungry afterwards. We had to order additional side orders. My wife had the sea-bass which was very small, but plenty of vegetables.

Lunch at Balbirnie bistro was the perfect place to relax and celebrate the start of the summer holidays. Balbirnie is a credit to the Kingdom of Fife. On arrival we were greeted with a warm welcome. The bistro offered a friendly and relaxed atmosphere with an excellent choice of menu. I had the classic burger and my friend had the battered haddock both delicious and we'll presented. The tablet sundae was amazing I highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to my next visit in two weeks time.

Visited the Bistro for a meal with friends. Food and service were excellent, we really enjoyed our meal, the choice on the menu was very good, would recommend the grilled sea bass & risotto, yummy.All staff were very friendly and went out of their way to be helpful. Will definitely be back to enjoy another meal/drinks in the relaxed atmosphere of the Bistro.

We had our wedding some 7 years ago at Balbirnie and often visit for a family occasion or date night. We are truly never disappointed, the food and service are always immaculate and the staff are so friendly and attentive. We had a date night just last week to try the new Bistro menu which is lovely, I had the pate which was superb with the accompaniment of the fig chutney. Then the mushroom burger which I loved too. Would always recommend a wee visit to this wonderful hotel.

Went to the Bistro the other day for Sunday lunch and was not disappointed!! We only had main meals today and have to say the the fish and chips was really nice, with a big juicy fillet of fish in light crisp batter and home made tartare sauce! The wife went for the gnocchi which she's was also pleased with....the staff were very friendly and prompt with making sure we had everything u need for a nice meal! The only things I would maybe change about the menu was there could've been more main meal options and less salad options and also add hand cut chunky chips to the menu but this is only a preference for me..lol

This place was excellent! The service from the fantastic, very friendly and helpful. The food was delicious. We had the sirloin steak rare and it was cooked perfectly. Couldn't have been happier with our meal at balbirnie bistro.

The staff at Balbirnie help us organise a 50th golden anniversary meal for our parents. Staff went over every detail with us providing helpful advice on seating arrangement, pre dinner drinks and menu ideas for two extremely fussy teenagers. We were giving the use of the garden room for the evening and our own waiter, who was extremely friendly, helpful and professional. All our food was exceptionally good, presentation wonderful and the choice was maverous. l wouldn't hesitate to recommend Balbirnie Hotel to anyone, whether it's for lunch, for dinner or for an organising event.

The bistro is located in the lower level of the Balbirnie House. It was cozy but, a bit dark. We went there fore lunch and there was set lunch on offer. We each chose 3 courses lunch set (appetizer, main dish and dessert). I ordered a terrine of ham hog, fish & chips and crème brulee. The food was pretty good. The fish & chips was a bit oily though, I could see the oil on the batter.After lunch, we went to walk around in the garden which was quite refreshing.

I have told many people about the food at the bistro as it is so good and the lunch deal is excellent. You'll not get this quality in restaurants for this money. Very good service from staff who are very professional. And the House red is excellent! Go frequently and have done for years

If your ever in Markinch then you must visit the Balbirnie bistro, the food is exceptional with fresh produce cooked to perfection. The French onion soup is the best I've ever had and I have tried a lot, the steaks are mouthwatering and the homemade ice cream is to die for.There is also a set lunch menu which is great value for money so give it a try you certainly won't be disappointed.

Just visited the Bistro within the Balbirnie Hotel and I was extremely disappointed with the quality and price of the food. The Pate and oat cakes were fine, but hard to go wrong straight from the packet, it went downhill from there, my wife ordered the Mushroom Gnocchi and it was horrible, the Mushroom sauce was over powering and the Gnocchi itself was hard to eat, not sure if over on under cooked as I have never come across this texture before, all I can say it was very chewy. I had a Burger served with a trendy small tin bucket of thin frozen chips, similar to the ones served at a famous fast food outlet but without the taste, for £10.95 I thought they would have at least made real chips?.All in all very poor standard then to top it off we were charged £4.95 for 2 glasses of draught juice, these were served in a spirit glass, not even half a pint. There were only 2 other tables occupied while we were there but it still took 90 minutes to get lunch so if you do decide to try it take a 2 hour lunch.Sorry for the bad review but this was very poor and not of a standard I would have expected.

It has been a number of years since we last visited Balbirnie and this visit exceeded our expectations.The Bistro is a very trendy and comfortable space ideal for relaxed family dining.The daily menu offered extremely good value for money and the quality of food was fantastic as was the level of service.We all extremely enjoyed our visit and we will return very soon.Thank you all for the great experience .x

Enjoyed a very relaxing lunch in the Bistro. Could not fault it in any way. The staff were very attentive. Cosy and warm atmosphere. Now - the best bit - the food was sumptous. My wife had the parsnip and onion soup whilst I had the goats cheese and red onion tart. We both had the battered fish with french fries and mushy peas.The fish was fresh and the batter crispy. For dessert I had the chocolate tart and my wife had the ice cream sundae. All in all, a lovely experience. Give it a try - you won't be disappointed.

Was here for my Daughter's 18th Birthday and we had a fantastic meal. Not often all four of us cannot find anything to fault with food served so top marks to the Bistro!Fantastically teder steak, succulant fish, Beef Bourguignon and what a plateful the chicken burger was.Service was also top class